A-List No. 11: Keith Mixon ready to prove doubters wrong

IRONDALE, Alabama -- When naysayers told him he was too small and too weak to be a college football player, Keith Mixon went to work. Five-foot-eight and 175-pounds on a good day, Mixon didn't complain or try to explain why everyone was wrong. He just hit the weight room day after day and spent hours after practices doing countless ladder and agility drills.

"Most people thought I wasn't fast enough," Mixon says. "They didn't think I was strong enough. That's what really made me push myself. All of my actions were about proving everyone wrong. I played with a chip on my shoulder every game."

It worked. As a junior at Shades Valley last season, Mixon amassed 2,822 all-purpose yards and 35 touchdowns, a performance that landed him at No. 11 on AL.com's A-List of the state's top football prospects in the class of 2015.

Mixon's breakout season didn't happen overnight. Shades Valley coach Bill Smith remembers meeting his future star a little more than three years ago; Mixon was a small, meek 135-pound freshman. Smith had heard from area middle school and peewee coaches that Mixon had star potential, but he knew there was no way a 135-pound running back could survive a full year of Class 6A football.

Mixon was aware of the challenge too after getting roughed up by Clay-Chalkville during that first year. "I got hit real hard one time and was like 'Never again,'" he says.

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Reeshema Beck realized early on that her son was special. He was always smaller than the other kids in his grade, but he was faster, too. There was a time she was fearful whenever her son took the field, but she eventually realized her baby could take care of himself. "He was different and could compete with older kids," Beck says. "He was a little more advanced than other kids."

Beck and her husband knew they couldn't control their son's height, but they could help him get stronger. They got him involved with sports medicine and training. Mixon drank as much Muscle Milk as he could get his hands on and began weight training. Known as "Dirty Red" for the reddish tint in his hair, Mixon put on approximately 40 pounds of muscle over the next three years.

As he got bigger and stronger, his on-field results improved significantly. Last season, he caught the eyes of local media and - yes -- college coaches. Midway through the year, he received his first scholarship offer, from South Alabama. He's still smaller than many of his peers, but there's no denying that Mixon looks the part now. "This young man is going to be very successful at the next level," Smith says. "I think he's the best combo running back and receiver that I've seen in high school football in 22 years of coaching."

Off the field, Beck always encouraged her son to be more than just a football player. She wanted him to give back to the community and to all of the people that have helped him become the man he is today.

Mixon embraced that concept, and though he doesn't make a big deal about it, he likely logs more community services hours than any top football recruit in Alabama. He's built houses for Habitat for Humanity and cleaned parks. He's gone downtown to give away food and other items to local homeless people.

He's most proud of helping out local children. "During Easter we went to his big park and we hid some eggs for little kids who don't have anything," he says.

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Despite Mixon's success, the doubters haven't disappeared. Now, they wonder: What position he will play in college. Is he fast enough to be a slot receiver? Is he big enough to be able to switch to defensive back? Is he elusive enough to be a punt or kick returner?

Smith believes those doubts have prevented Mixon from receiving offers from other SEC schools. Mississippi State heavily pursued him, however, and persuaded the running back to commit last Friday during its Big Dawg camp. It was a big night for Mixon, who also ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash at the camp.

Mixon is plenty confident in his abilities, too, but you won't see him bragging on himself on Twitter or Facebook. "He minds his own business, but he takes care of business," Smith says. "He's confident in his abilities, but he's not arrogant."

Most importantly, he still has too much to prove. "I still get overlooked even after the season I had," he says. "So I'm going to keep working hard."